First Day of School!

I made a special "celebration breakfast" for the first day of school.

Here is the link: First day of school cinnamon rollups

Our first "Calendar Time" was "challenging" to say the least. Getting back into a groove after running around with no schedule and two adults around all the time will take some time.

We start in our "school room/play room" but certainly don't stay there. That is mostly "school headquarters" where we store our toys/books. This is JoJo/Catty leading us in the pledge.

Spinny came out! Spinny is the brains of our homeschool and holds all of our plans for the next several months. I love spinny. After taking out "week 1" I distributed each child's work for the week and they were responsible for putting it in their folders/box.

JuBe storing her work for the week. 

Peebs loading up his folders.

Odes putting his work in his box.

Jo getting her work all organized in her box. This is my 4th year of homeschooling but my FIRST year of homeschooling with no "baby" no pregnancy and no diapers! Sure, it takes a little time out of my day to remind her to go and to help her get re-dressed. Why do toddlers have to take off EVERYTHING before they go? But, no diapers! It's CRAZY how nice that is!

We did a little "craft" and while I finished laminating it...they had to take a quick break to "build something." Alrighty then.

The theme of "hard start" is what I have captured here. There was a lot of fighting and tears going on which I did not capture on film. They don't like it when I catch them in a bad mood (can you blame them?) We had a hard time getting this picture to happen...

This was our craft, which is a bit hard to see, but I didn't want to share close ups on the blog. I traced each of their hands on patterned paper. Then we wrote their name and year in school and laminated them. They're all going on a "ring" with a tab that says "school year 2012-2013." It's so sweet to see their little hands all piled up on top of each other. 

This does look creepily like a seance...but they were just getting in a circle for "Bible time."

We started our new curriculum and began memorizing the order of the books of the Old Testament. Each card has key information about each book of the Bible on it. 

JuBe deep in thought about a Math problem during "one-on-one" time with Mom. We do some things in group, but each kid got their "mommy time" for lessons in my office. Then they went off to do their individual work. 

Peebs during "mommy time." He ate it up! We had such a good time and he is learning SO much. My big 1st grader!!! I didn't get photos of the little one's mommy time because it was mostly us reading books and being crazy in the play room. We all read together later on the couch...and I don't have pictures of Geography either, because we haven't quite finished yet. The big 3 are playing while we wait for the baby princess to awaken from her glorious slumber!

It occurred to me a couple weeks ago, that I should pre-plan lunches like the "normal moms" (I'm using lots of quotation marks, aren't I?). This went off like a BANG! They loved the little containers and cute little compartments and I loved having lunch done ahead of time so all I had to do was take it out of the fridge and we were ready to go!

So cute...inspecting the little cubbies to see what I had packed. 

Lunch was a hit. Geography was not. It was a mass of tears and general over-tiredness...let's hope when we start up again in the next 20 minutes or so, all goes better than before!

The big kid's finished work goes in a slot for me to look over in the afternoon time. Just thought of that today. I felt pretty genius.

All in all it has been a good first day. I'm glad I didn't cave in and just let everything go. I didn't want to begin a pattern. Staying disciplined isn't exactly my "strong-suit"---using quotes however, apparently is. We figured we'd go with David's work schedule...and take off on the same days as him, instead of the district we are in. 

It was a fun day with good/rigorous/fun work accomplished. I would say however, that the most beneficial education is probably taking place right now as they roam around the garden and pick foods and play and bike and set up shop on the front porch when the sun gets too intense. They are loving, relating, learning about the world and it is so precious I can't stand it!

Cracked Cantaloupe Do-Over~City Mom

A neighbor gave us a melon. A perfect, garden cantaloupe she had grown over the Summer. My husband and I not being fans of the fruit had set it in the back hall to take along for a day outing and sharing with my parents. (that sounds really selfish. we commonly share things we like as well, but we didn't want this to go to waste knowing the children would likely not eat the entire thing themselves.)

I turned the corner and a small boy who had been told to put on his shoes and get in the car was barefoot and holding the cantaloupe over an even smaller boy's head and messing around.

Something came over me. I kind of snapped. I gave "the look." You know what I mean. Remember the look you got as a kid that made you go, "uh-oh, I'm in for it now." And then...

catastrophe.


the cantaloupe fell.


and, the world stopped.

Instead of taking my own often shared advise of holding back, breathing/praying/taking stock...I charged. I gave the "you know better than this, I'm so disappointed lecture." The kind of lecture that you swore before you were a parent you would never give to your kids. Then came in the reinforcement. My husband took off on my disappointment lecture and picked up the guilt lecture "we can't give a cracked cantaloupe to your grandparents now...and oh! how horrible to do this when our neighbor was so thoughtful to give us a melon!"

Result? Crocodile tears. And I watched my almost 7 year old blessing, put on his shoes with his head held low and get into the van. (Yes, I'm crying as I type this.)

I asked my husband if he would be willing to chat for a moment. Still fired up from his charge he reluctantly agreed. I carefully laid out the situation and confessed my sin. "He was exhibiting childish behavior...and besides it was a melon! And look at our son! He was shamed and guilted and is drooping in his spirit right now."

David gave me the green light to invite our boy back inside.

I pulled that precious child on my lap, wiped away his tear and cuddled him a moment. I asked him if there was anything he would like to say to us. He shook his head no. Then I said, "Darling, Mommy was so wrong in communicating that a melon was more important than you. You didn't hurt your grandparents or our neighbor by what happened. I chose to be self-serving in my sinful nature and for some crazy reason, I chose a melon over my dear-beloved son! Please forgive me and know that this is not the mommy I want to be to you."

A similar repentant attitude was then expressed from father to son.

That sweet child reached out and hugged us both and offered his forgiveness. He also said that he would have been better employed obeying us by having put his shoes on and gotten into the van, than messing around with the cantaloupe.

This is grace. This is love. This is forgiveness. All found in Jesus. The ability to humble ourselves was not in ourselves but from the Holy Spirit. That cracked melon, produced a crack in our son's little spirit. But, something beautiful happened. Love covered over a multitude of sins, and our son saw feet on the gospel.

As we parent, we strive for gentleness, peace, patience, kindness, self-control. Ultimately, we often fail. I think the striving for those qualities speaks volumes to our children. But, I'm praying that the ability to humble ourselves and repent will speak highly as well. Following Jesus is not about being perfect. It's about being forgiven.

I Peter 4:8
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.